TRAVELLING POST OFFICE GUATEMALA PART 1 CENTRAL RAILWAY
Yuri Vladimir Montes January 3rd, 2022
INTRODUCTION
In Guatemala there were 7 different train lines, which means that each of them had their own ambulantes agents and therefore their own postmarks. Below we detail the name of each of the different lines: 1. Central Railway 2. Northern Railway 3. Occidental Railway 4. Oriental Railway 5. Ocos Railway 6. Verapaz Railway 7. Highland Railway
CENTRAL RAILWAY
The appearance of the first T.P.O postmark in Guatemala is closely linked to the construction and development of the railroad. In 1852 the Port of San José was installed, by 1872 Justo Rufino Barrios signed a contract with Mark J. Kelley to build the line from San José to Guatemala City, better known as the Central Railroad (FCC), Kelley could not financially comply with the contract. In 1877, President Barrios to sign another contract with W illiam Nane to build the 45 km of the line from San Jose to Escuintla, this first section was completed on June 19th, 1880. In 1882 the section from Escuintla to Guatemala City was started, it was built through the 1386m Palin pass at the foot of the 3766m Agua Volcano.
At the same time, the filling of the passage through Lake Amatitlán was being made. On July 19th, 1884, the first train arrived in Guatemala City. The construction of the first railroad in Guatemala began in 1877 and the first section began to function in 1880, connecting Puerto San José and Escuintla, then the section was extended to Guatemala City in 1884.
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Route Calendar 1884
Escuintla Train Station inaugurated on June 20th, 1880
CENTRAL RAILWAY: Line train that went from Guatemala City to the Port of San José
Agua Volcano
CENTRAL RAILWAY: Fill of Lake Amatitlán Lake Amatitlán is a crater lake located 26 km from Guatemala City, at an altitude of 1188 meters above sea level. It has an area of 15.2 km². The word Amatitlán comes from the word Amatl derived etymologically from the Nahuatl language, it translates as: "Entre amates" or "Surrounded by amates", the Amate "Ficus insípida" is a tree found from Mexico to the Amazon. The British engineer William Nanne and the Salvadoran military man Luis Schlesinger, were the contractors appointed in 1877 for what corresponded to the construction of the new branch, which would go from Escuintla to the capital and would pass through Amatitlán. In 1881, the Cía. Nanne and associates began the construction of a landfill for the passage of the railway line, in the narrowest gorge of Lake Amatitlán, at the height of the village of El Cerrito. In 1882, the first railroad from the city of Escuintla arrived in the city of Amatitlán.
CENTRAL RAILWAY: Fill of Lake Amatitlán today.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE A
Guatemala Type A 1885-1886 This double circle duplex was used between 1885-1886, the postmark consisted of 4 concentric circles of ca 19mm very common at that time, the distance of the date stamp is 5 ½ mm from the purple date stamp. They are not known in circulated covers or postcards and postal stationery, it is known of it because they have been seen on the stamps of the small quetzals issued on November 7th, 1881.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE B
It is similar to Type A, but its diameter is 24mm but with the 1 ½ to 2 mm postmark of the date stamp. Guatemala Type B 1887-1892
Its use was very long and the marks are in different colors: black, purple, violet, red and bright pink.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE B
Type B between 1890-1891 in different colors
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE C, Trenes Locales The Local Trains explanation is recent, which tells us that the Central Railroad trains that stopped at all stations, established in 1887 as a complement to the ordinary trains, were those that put this postmark.
Guatemala Type C Trenes Locales 1888-1890
This postmark is considered very scarce, circle between 1888-1890 The color of the postmark is known as purple
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE C, Trenes Locales
A letter addressed to Louis du Teil who was born in Guatemala on May 25th 1868, was one of the most prominent owners of coffee plantations on the Guatemalan Pacific coast, being the son of Baron Oscar du Teil (1827-1879) one of Guatemala's main coffee growers and exporters in the mid-nineteenth century. He left for Guatemala at the age of 16, the young Oscar du Teil joined the Belgian Colonization Company, established in 1843 in Santo Tomás de Castilla, in the department of Verapaz, on the Atlantic coast of Guatemala.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE C, Trenes Locales
Oscar du Teil became a landowner, farmer and exporter of coffee, settled in the capital of Guatemala in May 1851 and then on a farm in Escuintla, on the coastal plain along the Pacific, in 1854. With his brother Xavier du Teil, planted 110,000 coffee trees on his farm in Escuintla from 1856 to 1859, and in this way Escuintla acquired importance and from 1853 to 1864 coffee represented ¾ parts of the Guatemalan export, Oscar du Teil founded the first telegraph company of the country in 1867.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE E1
Guatemala Type E1, 1891-1892
This circle postmark between 1891-1892, is identical to Type C but with AMBULANTE at the bottom. Its size is 30mm instead of the 32mm of Type C.
Confirmed use between Amatitlán and Guatemala City in 1891. Very few known specimens in purple
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE E2
With a diameter of 38mm, this date stamp is different from the previous one due to its size.
Guatemala Type E2 1892-1893 Probably made of soft rubber, the text damaged quickly and the three known letters are bad.
Date on one line, with and without time.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE E2 Guatemala Tipo E2 1892-1893
This cover was placed between Escuintla and Guatemala City on February 27th, 1892. This type of cancellation was used along the route from Escuintla to Guatemala City between 1892-1893.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE E2
Guatemala Type E2 1892-1893
This letter was initially sent in Palin on June 21st,1893, later put on the train the same day and received in Guatemala City at noon, to be forwarded to Antigua Guatemala on June 22nd, 1893 at 5 A.M.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE F1
Guatemala Type F1 1893-1897 Esta marca tiene 31mm de diámetro y estuvo vigente de 1893 a This postmark is 31mm in diameter and was used from 1893 to 1897, es muy abundante, la fecha esta colocada en tres líneas y 1897, it is very abundant, the date is placed in three lines and for por primera vez aparecen los NUMEROS que pertenecen a las the first time the NUMBERS that belong to the lines where they líneas donde sirvieron. were served appear. Esta marca Tipo F1 por la línea GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA No 1 This Mark Type F1 for the GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA No 1 line Significaba que era el tren de la mañana que hacia una o dos It meant it was the morning train that made one or two stops along paradas durante el trayecto the way.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE F1
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE F2
Guatemala Type F2 1893-1897
This postmark is 31mm in diameter and was used from 1893 to 1897, it is very RARE, the date is placed in three lines and for the first time the NUMBERS that belong to the lines where they served appear. Type F2 for the GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA No 2 line
It meant that it was the afternoon train that made many stops along the way
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE F 2
Railway Bridge, San José Cover sent from Escuintla to the Port of San José Six cent internal postage fee The F2 is the most difficult of the Type F
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE F3
Guatemala Type F3 1893-1897
This postmark is 31mm in diameter and was used from 1893 to 1897, it is very abundant, the date is placed in three lines and for the first time the NUMBERS that belong to the lines where they were served appear.
This Type F3 for the line ESCUINTLA - SAN JOSE No 3
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE F 3
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE F3 and F1 and the same cover
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE G1
Guatemala Type G1 1897-1899
This postmark is 37mm in diameter and is known as Type G1 This Type G1 for the GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA No 1 line It meant it was the morning train that made one or two stops along the way.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE G1
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE G2
Guatemala Type G2 1897-1899
2
This postmark is 37mm in diameter and is known as Type G2 This is very RARE.
This Type G2 is for the GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA No 2 line It meant that it was the afternoon train that made many stops along the way
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE G3
Guatemala Type G3 1897-1899
This postmark is 37mm in diameter and is known as Type G3 This Type G3 means the ESCUINTLA –SAN JOSE No 3 Line
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE I1 Guatemala Type I1 1898-1909
This postmark is 29mm in diameter and is known as Type I1 Railroad in San María, Escuintla ca 1912, in the background you can see the Agua, Fuego and Acatenango Volcanoes
This Type I1 means the GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA No 1 Line
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE I 1
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE I2
Guatemala Type I2 1898-1909
This postmark is 29mm in diameter and is known as I2 This Type I2 means the GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA No 2 line This postmak is common.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE I2
Puerto de Iztapa in Escuintla, was the main port on the south coast until 1852 when the Puerto de San José was created, formerly known as El Zapote.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE I
Guatemala Type I 1898-1909
Guatemala Type I 1898-1909
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE J
Guatemala Type J 1906-1910
This Type J measures 38mm in diameter and was used between 1906 and 1910. This does not have a line number and corresponds to the GUATEMALA – ESCUINTLA line
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE J
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE J
Central Railroad on the Penitentiary Bridge in Guatemala City around 1906, photographed by Fernández Valdeavellano
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE ( F.C.CENTRAL )
Guatemala Type F.C. CENTRAL
Postmark of 30mm in diameter and with 6 bars of 20X17mm used between 1908-1918
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE K
Guatemala Type K 1913
Postmark with 30mm diameter and 6 bars of 19X17mm, also exists with numbers instead of stars
Guatemala Type K 1913 -1914
28mm diameter postmark, widely distributed with various numbers on the main lines
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE IRCA 1920 and TYPE N
Guatemala Type IRCA 1920
Guatemala Type N 1923 Guatemala Type N 1924-1927
Postmark with 30mm diameter
Postmark with 30mm diameter and Guatemala line - Escuintla No 1
Postmark with 30-31mm diameter and Guatemala line - Escuintla No 1 and with 4 double bars, available in black and purple
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE AMBULANTE ESPECIAL
Cover sent from the Puerto de San José to Guatemala City on September 24th,1930. AMBULANTE ESPECIAL Cancellation was not documented (*), on the reverse of the transit postmark of Guatemala City
(*) Refers to the work Guatemala and its postal marks by Cécile-Gruson 2004-2007
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE R Its general characteristics are the following:
Guatemala Type R 1927-1946
A. Diameter 24-28mm date stamp B. Without the abbreviation "No." used for the word number in the first line of the text. C. Text in 4 lines, ca 27-20mm This Type R has 4 known Subtypes: Subtype 1: Date stamp letters 2mm,spaces small, most without dashes between words. Use ca 1929-1936
Type R marks were used from 1927 to 1946. They are the first date stamps with a single sequence of numbers. Each line was assigned from one to three numbers depending on the importance of each of them.
Subtype 1a: Botton 2 lines and the postmark in Roman letters (# 14 and # 15) Subtype 2: Date stamp letters 1 ¾ mm, large spaces with dashes between words, use ca 1939 onwards.
Subtype 3: Date stamp with a diameter 26mm with heavy circle, large spaces with crosses (# 16 of 1933)
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE R
Line Name
Number From Line
Year
Subtype 1
GUATEMALA-SAN JOSÉ
7
1932
X
GUATEMALA-SAN JOSÉ
8
1932
X
GUATEMALA-SAN JOSÉ
9
1932
X
GUATEMALA-SAN JOSÉ
10
1932
X
SAN JOSÉ-GUATEMALA
8
1932
X
GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA
12
1929
X
Subtype 1a
Subtype 2
Subtype 3
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE R
Guatemala-San José Type R7
Guatemala-Escuintla Type R12
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE S
Guatemala Type S 1934-1952
This Type S has 4 known Groups with their respective subtypes:
GROUP 1 (1934): It has Subtype 1 and 2, ca 1934-1937 GROUP 2 (March 1946): Each line has its own series of numbers, diameter ca 23mm, subtype 2 ,with dashes block of letters, 21mm high GROUP 3 (January 1949): 22mm diameter, subtype 2 with dashes, block letters 23-25X 20mm, within this there are
The Type S was the second postmark that was used for a long time, not only does it have the same Subtypes 1 and 2 of the Type R.
The numbers were reassigned again.
Variant 1: NUM for No. (16 and 17 18X18mm block of letters) Variant 2: NUMERO for No. (18 and 19) block of letters 19X20mm GROUP 4 :( November 1951) There is a new numbering, all numbers even from 16 to 19 are spelled out.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE S Line Name
Number from Line
Year
Group 1 SG1
Group 2 SG2
Group 3 SG3
GUATEMALA-S.JOSÉ
8
1935-1938
X Subtype1
GUATEMALA-SAN JOSÉ
9
1934-1936
X Subtype 2
GUATEMALA-ESCUINTLA
10-11
1934-1936
X
GUATEMALA-PTO.SAN JOSÉ
1-2-3
1946
GUATEMALA-SAN JOSÉ
7-8
1949
X
GUATEMALA-PTO.SAN JOSÉ
4
1950
X
GUATEMALA-PTO.SAN JOSÉ
9-10
1951
Group 4 SG4
X
X
Postmark Type S Group 3 Line 8
SG3L8
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE S
Guatemala Type S,Group 1, Line 8 Type S-G1L8
Guatemala Type S,Group 3, Line 4 Type S-G3L4
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE S
Guatemala Type S, Group 3, Line 7 Type S-G3L7
Guatemala Type S,Group 3, Line 8 Type S-G3L8
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE S
Guatemala Type S,Group 3, Line 7 Type S-G3L7
Guatemala Type S,Group 3, Line 8 Type S-G3L8
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE S
Guatemala Type S,Group 3, Line 8 Type S-G3L8
Guatemala Type S,Group 4, Line 10 Type S-G4L10
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE S
There are the following varieties for the GUATEMALA-SAN JOSE marking # 7 and # 8 from 1949. it is the 1950 marking that has not had the top line since January 3rd, 1950
The Postmark GUATEMALA-PTO. SAN JOSE # 9 from 1951 has a 1950 variety that is dated October 29th, 1950 , and has a larger space than the normal marking, which really should be considered a different marking because it is older. Line
Number
Year
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
GUATEMALA-SAN JOSÉ
7
1950
X
GUATEMALA-SAN JOSÉ
8
1950
X
GUATEMALA-PTO. SAN JOSÉ
9
1950
Group 4
X
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE V
Guatemala Type V 1945 8
SAN JOSE
The Type V is 24mm in diameter and subtype 1 has 2mm letters with # of the Ambulante. With the GUATEMALA-PTO Line. SAN JOSE there are numbers 8 and 9 Pamplona Station
Central Railw ay Markings ,TYPE W
Guatemala Type W 1942-1946 These types of ambulantes were used from 1942, the numbered cancellers correspond to the previous assignments of 1946, most of the date stamps are without numbers.
There is also the Marking: 7 SUPLENTE GUATEMALA-PTO SAN JOSE
The word SUPLENTE replaces LINEA The marking is line 7 GUATEMALA-SAN JOSE
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE X
Guatemala Type X 1946-1955
Subtype 2 with wavy line Entrance to the pier of Puerto San José
Central Railw ay Markings , TYPE Z
Guatemala Type Z 1952
This mark is 22.5mm in diameter and was authorized on March 1, 1952 But copies have been circulated a few days before. AMBULANTE POSTAL in the 24X27mm block
The line that was assigned to what we will call Subtype 1 is: GUATEMALA-PTO SAN JOSÉ # 9 and # 10 Subtype 2 with 28mm diameter that in August 1960 some Z-type markings were being used with the following change:
GUATEMALA-PTO. SAN JOSÉ # 11
Central Railw ay Markings , TYPE Z
Line Name
Line Number
Year
Subtype 1
GUATEMALA-PTO DE SAN JOSÉ
9
1952
X
GUATEMALA-PTO DE SAN JOSÉ
10
1952
X
GUATEMALA-PTO DE SAN JOSÉ
11
1960
Subtype 2
X
Type Z Subytipe 1 Line 10
Z-L10
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE Z
DIEZ
PTO. SAN JOSE
Dater with 25mm diameter authorized on March 1st,1952. But used a few days before as shown by some examples seen.
Central Railw ay Markings, TYPE LINEA
Cover sent from the Port of San José to Guatemala City on September 15, 1950, the Cancellation LINEA GUATEMALA PTO. SAN JOSE was not documented(*) (*) Refers to the work Guatemala and its postal marks by Cécile-Gruson 2004-2007
Central Railw ay Markings, New Postmark found in 2021
This postmark was not registered (*) and it is the first that only has written: CORREOS NACIONALES/LINEA GUATEMALA / SAN JOSE Dated May 21st, 1941
Different from contemporary markings because it does NOT have the word AMBULANTE and the LINE NUMBER written
(*) We refer to the work Guatemala and its postal marks by Cécile-Gruson 2004-2007
Central Railw ay Markings, BIBLIOGRAPHY
George Kenneth Clough Articles in the El Quetzal Magazine numbers 127 and 128 published in January 1961 and February 1961
Central Railw ay Markings, BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Postal Markings Of Guatemala, Section 21.1-21.3 by Cécile-Gruson 2004-2007
Central Railw ay Markings, BIBLIOGRAPHY, AND PHILATELIC MATERIAL
Thanks to the International Society of Guatemala Collectors for their openness and dissemination of knowledge.
Many thanks to Michael Bloom and David Reitsema for the philatelic material and illustrations. Many thanks to David Lindwall for his explanations and patience.
Questions? THANK YOU e-mail: yvmontesr@yahoo.com yurivladimirmontes@gmail.com
Somewhere between Guatemala and Escuintla in the background the Agua Volcano